NORTH Melbourne has landed Tasmanian youngster Geordie Payne with the No.1 pick in the AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft as 19 players earned list spots on Wednesday night.
The pool of draftees included former Port Adelaide ruckman Brynn Teakle, who earned his second chance on an AFL list at the Kangaroos, and ex-Hawthorn midfielder Ned Long, who joined Collingwood after being delisted at the end of last year.
There were 23 picks available to use on Wednesday night, with Brisbane the most active club as it looked to cover a spate of ACL injuries by using three of its four available picks.
Payne, 19, joined Ryan Maric (2023), Jai Culley (2022), Jacob Edwards (2021) and Josh Deluca (2019) as a mid-season No.1 pick, having transformed his game this year from a defender to a midfielder/forward who has hit the scoreboard with his pace and a long kick.
He has kicked 12 goals in five Coates Talent League games for Tasmania in 2024, including four against Eastern Ranges earlier this month, with the Roos hoping the teenager can give them a boost as they remain winless through 11 rounds this season.
"It's been a lifetime dream of mine and for it to come true, I didn't really know what to think … there were a few tears shed," Payne told AFL.com.au shortly after being selected by the Roos.
"I'm a lot more mature and more versatile. I've gone to a different end of the ground [this year], so just being versatile is something I've improved on."
Kangaroos recruiting manager Will Thursfield said the club had been drawn to Payne's ability to impact all areas of the game after returning to the Devils' under-18 side having missed out on last year's Draft.
"He's good in the air, he's slippery on the ground with good agility and what we like most about him is his defensive intent. He really hunts the opposition, tackles, and he's an in-your-face type of player," Thursfield said.
Richmond, which is battling an injury crisis, used its pick No.2 to select Peel Thunder intercept defender Jacob Blight out of the WAFL, with the 22-year-old shaping as a player who can have an instant impact for the Tigers.
At pick No.3, West Coast snared Collingwood VFL forward Jack Hutchinson, with the dynamic tall to join Maric in the Eagles' forward line.
St Kilda also looked forward with pick No.4 and selected Box Hill goalkicker Max Hall before the Hawks used pick No.5 to select West Perth tall forward and former Fremantle Academy player Jasper Scaife.
Brisbane's first selection addressed its injuries in attack, with teenager Will MacLachlan joining the club from the Geelong Falcons after being overlooked in last year's National Draft.
Adelaide added 200cm ruck/forward Toby Murray, the brother of defender Nick Murray, from its SANFL program, before the Western Bulldogs selected SANFL small forward Kelsey Rypstra and Carlton picked VFL midfielder Cooper Lord.
Collingwood rounded a top 10 full of players earning their first AFL chances by selecting Eastern Ranges forward/ruck Iliro Smit to address its injury issues in the tall posts.
Clubs continued to look to first-time draftees through the first round, with Subiaco forward Luker Kentfield (Melbourne), SANFL defender Logan Evans (Port Adelaide), VFL midfielder Saad El-Hawli (Essendon), and Gippsland Power small forward Tom Hanily (Sydney) joining clubs.
North Melbourne then opened the second round at pick No.15 by adding Teakle, who played six games with Port Adelaide after first earning an AFL chance in the 2022 Mid-Season Rookie Draft.
The East Fremantle star had been linked to Collingwood as a ready-made ruckman, but the Kangaroos jumped when they had the chance to add some ruck depth with a player who can have an impact this year.
Essendon VFL forward Campbell Gray joined the Tigers at pick No.16 before SANFL half-back Luke Beecken was snared by Brisbane with its second pick.
Former Hawthorn midfielder Long was the other ex-AFL player to earn a second chance when Collingwood jumped at pick No.19, with the big-bodied onballer now hoping to add to his five games with the Hawks, including four last year.
Brisbane rounded out the Draft by adding WAFL small forward Darcy Craven as Richmond and Adelaide passed on their remaining available picks.
Get full player bios on every player picked up here
2024 AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft
First round
1. North Melbourne - Geordie Payne (Tasmania, Coates Talent League)
2. Richmond - Jacob Blight (Peel Thunder, WAFL)
3. West Coast - Jack Hutchinson (Collingwood, VFL)
4. St Kilda - Max Hall (Box Hill, VFL)
5. Hawthorn - Jasper Scaife (West Perth, WAFL)
6. Brisbane - Will McLachlan (Geelong Falcons, Coates Talent League)
7. Adelaide - Toby Murray (Adelaide, SANFL)
8. Western Bulldogs - Kelsey Rypstra (North Adelaide, SANFL)
9. Carlton - Cooper Lord (North Melbourne, VFL)
10. Collingwood - Iliro Smit (Eastern Ranges, Coates Talent League)
11. Melbourne - Luker Kentfield (Subiaco, WAFL)
12. Port Adelaide - Logan Evans (Port Adelaide, SANFL)
13. Essendon - Saad El-Hawli (Northern Bullants, VFL)
14. Sydney - Tom Hanily (Gippsland Power, Coates Talent League)
Second round
15. North Melbourne - Brynn Teakle (East Fremantle, WAFL)
16. Richmond - Campbell Gray (Essendon, VFL)
17. Brisbane - Luke Beecken (Woodville-West Torrens, SANFL)
18. Adelaide - Pass
19. Collingwood - Ned Long (Collingwood, VFL)
Third round
20. Richmond - Pass
21. Brisbane - Darcy Craven (East Perth, WAFL)
22. Adelaide - Pass
Fourth round
23. Brisbane - Pass
